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NOAA's "EstuaryLive" Webcast Takes Students on Virtual Field Trip

April 29, 2009

Students of all ages will have an opportunity on May 1 and May 15 to take a virtual field trip in the marshes and bays of four estuaries as part of NOAA’s “EstuaryLive” webcast. Students in their classrooms will interact with scientists in the field from NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System to learn about the animals and physical dynamics of estuaries, the critical ecosystems where rivers meet the sea.

The scientists will explain various facts about estuaries, ranging from the animals and plants that live there to the physical dynamics of tides and rivers and the mingling of fresh- and saltwater. They will discuss the observed and anticipated impacts of climate change such as rising sea level and warming water temperatures for the Web audiences and for students in the field with them.

Students can e-mail questions to the scientists, who will answer on air and by e-mail. All programs will be archived on the Web for later viewing. Past “EstuaryLive” programs are already archived.

This year’s webcasts will consist of two 30-minute segments on May 1 highlighting the Hudson River Reserve in New York, South Slough Reserve in Oregon, and Padilla Bay Reserve in Washington. Two webcasts on May 15 will highlight the Weeks Bay Reserve in Alabama.

Registration for teachers and other interested parties is online. The site also contains helpful resources for getting the most from the “EstuaryLive” program, and other NOAA educational resources about estuaries and estuarine science.

“EstuaryLive” is part of the NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System’s robust online educational presence, which includes complete classroom curricula, videos, quizzes, an educational game and various other resources for students and teachers.

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 27 reserves in 21 states and Puerto Rico, protecting more than 1.3 million acres of coastal and estuarine areas for research, education and stewardship purposes in support of coastal management.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.